2016 End of Year Book Survey

Once again this year I'm linking up with Jamie at the Perpetual Page Turner for the end of the year book survey.

Number Of Books You Read: 78
Number of Re-Reads: 29
Genre You Read The Most From: I'm not sure. I don't separate my books out like that normally. I'd guess fantasy/sci-fi though between re-reading LOTR, Chronicles of Narnia and reading The Lunar Chronicles.

1. Best Book You Read In 2016?

Non-fiction- The Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin and runner up would be The Sovereignty of God by Arthur W. Pink. I read a lot of really good non-fiction this year so it's hard to narrow down.

Fiction- The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Re-read- The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien (Obviously!)

2. Book You Were Excited About & Thought You Were Going To Love More But Didn’t?

The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens. Easily my least favorite Dickens I've ever read.

 

 3. Most surprising (in a good way or bad way) book you read?  

Dracula by Bram Stoker. I wasn't sure quite what to expect but the few expectations I had quickly dissolved. I liked this much more than I anticipated I possibly could.

 4. Book You “Pushed” The Most People To Read (And They Did)?

I don't push a lot of people to read books I like because I feel I have too eclectic and old taste in books that they won't enjoy them. However I did get a friend to read Pride and Prejudice and my little sister read The Blue Castle. I suppose you could say I got a lot of people to read Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children because I chose it for book club but I hadn't even read it either at that point. 

 

 5. Best series you started in 2016? Best Sequel of 2016? Best Series Ender of 2016?

Best series I started? Outlaws of Time: The Legend of Sam Miracle. I can't wait for N.D. Wilson to put out more in this series!

Best sequel of 2016? Gathering Blue by Lois Lowry

Best series ender of 2016? Son by Lois Lowry and Winter by Marissa Meyer

 

 6. Favorite new author you discovered in 2016?

Fiction- Elizabeth Wein with Code Name Verity

Non-Fiction- Arthur W. Pink with The Sovereignty of God

7. Best book from a genre you don’t typically read/was out of your comfort zone?

I read a good handful outside of my comfort zone this year and many were quite good. I enjoyed the Lunar Chronicles and the Martian, which would fall in the sci-fi genre I think and that's not a genre I normally read.

 

 8. Most action-packed/thrilling/unputdownable book of the year?

Probably Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein.

 

 9. Book You Read In 2016 That You Are Most Likely To Re-Read Next Year?

Without a doubt The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery. I've already wanted to re-read it THIS year! I loved it so much. READ IT!!!!

10. Favorite cover of a book you read in 2016?

Outlaws of Time by N.D. Wilson. Before I read it I was entirely intrigued just by the cover!!! 

 

11. Most memorable character of 2016?

Mark Watney and Jason Bourne... who coincidentally are both played by Matt Damon in the film versions.

 

 12. Most beautifully written book read in 2016?

Re-Read- The Silmarillion by J.R.R. Tolkien and then The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

First time read- All the Light we Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

13. Most Thought-Provoking/ Life-Changing Book of 2016?

Non-Fiction- The Sovereignty of God by Arthur W. Pink, Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert  and Openness Unhindered: Further Thoughts from an Unlikely Convert both by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield.

Fiction- The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

 

 14. Book you can’t believe you waited UNTIL 2016 to finally read? 

So many! Namely- The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery, Matilda by Roald Dahl, Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert  and Openness Unhindered: Further Thoughts from an Unlikely Convert both by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield. 

 

 15. Favorite Passage/Quote From A Book You Read In 2016? 

I don't keep track of favorite quotes as well as I used to but this is one I really appreciated. 

"I think that too many young Christians fornicators plan that marriage will redeem their sin. Too many young Christians masturbators will redeem their patterns. Too many young Christian internet pornographers think that having legitimate sex will take away the desire to have illicit sex. They're wrong. And the marriages that result from this line of thinking are dangerous places. I know, I told my audience why over 50% of Christian marriages end in divorce; because Christians act as though marriage redeems sin. Marriage does not redeem sin. Only Jesus himself can do that."- Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield 

16.Shortest & Longest Book You Read In 2016?

Shortest Book- Lady Susan by Jane Austen (re-read) 89 pages

Longest Book- Winter by Marissa Meyer 832 pages

 17. Book That Shocked You The Most

I don't think any books really shocked per say this year but there were some that surprised me. I think probably Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein did that the most.

 

18. OTP OF THE YEAR (you will go down with this ship!)

Barney and Valancy from The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery!!!!!!

 

19. Favorite Non-Romantic Relationship Of The Year

Verity and Maddie from Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein. Of course Sam and Frodo and Legolas and Gimli are some other favorites but I've LOTR so many times I'm not sure they technically count anymore.

 

20. Favorite Book You Read in 2016 From An Author You’ve Read Previously

Still The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery!!!!

 

21. Best Book You Read In 2016 That You Read Based SOLELY On A Recommendation From Somebody Else/Peer Pressure:

The Blue Castle by Lucy maud Montgomery! My fellow classics loving bloggers recommended it and obviously from this post it's a favorite.

22. Newest fictional crush from a book you read in 2016?

Captain Thorne from the Lunar Chronicles probably. Also Barney from The Blue Castle.

 

23. Best 2016 debut you read?

I only read one 2016 book and that was Outlaws of Time: The Legend of Sam Miracle by N.D. Wilson, which I loved.

 

24. Best Worldbuilding/Most Vivid Setting You Read This Year?

Besides my LOTR/Silmarillion re-read this year of course cause that's the best world building you will EVER see.... Besides that.... Probably the Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer.

 

25. Book That Put A Smile On Your Face/Was The Most FUN To Read?

Matilda by Roald Dahl, Mara, Daughter of the Nile by Eloise Jarvis McGraw (re-read) and once again THE BLUE CASTLE!!!!

 

26. Book That Made You Cry Or Nearly Cry in 2016?

I'm not a crier. The Blue Castle did almost make me cry... a happy cry though.

 

27. Hidden Gem Of The Year?

Would I be sued if once again I said THE BLUE CASTLE!!!! Probably... so I'll go with Son by Lois Lowry.

 

28. Book That Crushed Your Soul?

No book particularly crushed my soul but I guess the closest would be Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein.

29. Most Unique Book You Read In 2016?

The Complete Stories of Flannery O Conner. Her stories are so bizarre and unique that you're not sure whether to love or hate them. Miss Peregrines Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs was also quite unique.

 

30. Book That Made You The Most Mad (doesn’t necessarily mean you didn’t like it)?

Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman. It made me mad because it was poetry and for the most part I dislike poetry. Honestly I should have just not read it. 

1. New favorite book blog you discovered in 2016?

Lover of Lembas!!! Check it out!

 

2. Favorite review that you wrote in 2016?

I don't know! I'm not particularly fond of my reviewing capabilities. I guess I'll go with my review for Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield and then just because The Blue Castle by Lucy Maud Montgomery because I love that book so much I'm sure the review I wrote of it is spectacular too!!!

 

3. Best discussion/non-review post you had on your blog?

The Happy Tag! 

4. Best event that you participated in (author signings, festivals, virtual events, memes, etc.)?

Bout of Books!

 

5. Best moment of bookish/blogging life in 2016?

Having my fifth blogiversary this past January!

 

6. Most challenging thing about blogging or your reading life this year?

Learning to let go and recommit. See this post HERE. 

7. Most Popular Post This Year On Your Blog (whether it be by comments or views)?

According to my blogging stats my film review of Love and Friendship.

 

8. Post You Wished Got A Little More Love?

None. They've all been pretty well loved.

 

9. Best bookish discover (book related sites, book stores, etc.)?

I loved discovering new blogs this year and of course Thrift Books... an online used bookstore and very dangerous for me.

10.  Did you complete any reading challenges or goals that you had set for yourself at the beginning of this year?

See referenced post in question six of this section. I completed some of my reading challenges but not all. I originally set a Goodreads goal of 105 books but then lowered it to 80 books but I didn't make it there either. That's okay. Letting go. :) 

1. One Book You Didn’t Get To In 2016 But Will Be Your Number 1 Priority in 2017?

The Warden and the Wolf King by Andrew Peterson, The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde and The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams.

2. Book You Are Most Anticipating For 2017 (non-debut)?

The Door Before by N.D. Wilson (100 Cupboards prequel!) and Outlaws of Time: The Song of Glory and Ghost by N.D. Wilson. 

 

3. 2017 Debut You Are Most Anticipating?

I don't really keep track of debuts so none so far.

 

4. Series Ending/A Sequel You Are Most Anticipating in 2017?

As mentioned above. Outlaws of Time: The Song of Glory and Ghost by N.D. Wilson

 

5. One Thing You Hope To Accomplish Or Do In Your Reading/Blogging Life In 2017?

Read more non-fiction, find joy in my reading and blogging and not over commit myself.

 

6. A 2017 Release You’ve Already Read & Recommend To Everyone:

None.

Follow my blog with Bloglovin